Cardiff Council Minutes, 1895–1896.

1895 November 9 Saturday.

Resolved That the Right Honourable Robert George WindsorClive, Lord Windsor, Privy Councillor, Lord Lieutenant of the
County of Glamorgan, be and he is hereby elected Mayor of the County
Borough of Cardiff for the ensuing municipal year.

The Right Honourable Robert George Windsor-Clive, Lord
Windsor, having accepted the appointment, and subscribed and made
the declaration required by the Municipal Corporations Act, the chair
was vacated by the Ex-Mayor (Alderman Carey, J.P.) and the Mayor
was installed therein.

I Robert George Windsor-Clive, Lord Windsor, Privy Councillor,
Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan, Mayor of the County Borough of
Cardiff, in pursuance of the power vested in me by Section 16 of the
Municipal Corporations Act 1882, do hereby appoint David Jones,
one of the Aldermen and a Justice of the Peace for the said County
Borough, to act as Deputy Mayor of the County Borough during my
illnesss or absence; and I do hereby signify such appointment to the
Council.

Windsor, Mayor.

Dated this 9th day of November 1895.

Vote of thanks to the Ex-Mayor, Alderman W. P. Carey, J.P.,
"for the efficient and valuable services he has so faithfully and
zealously rendered to this Borough as Mayor and Chief Magistrate
during the past year; and for the courtesy, tact and geniality with
which he has presided over the deliberations of this Council."

£800 voted for the Mayor's salary, out of the Borough Fund.

Property and Markets Committee, 20 November. Chairman
referred to the frequent absence of the Hall Porter, W. MacDonald,
from duty.

Town Clerk submitted letters dated 26 and 30 October, and
3, 7 and 13 November, from Mr. J. Hobson Matthews, and read a
Report, dated 20 November 1895, regarding the work done by him
in London, and also a further Report containing a Selection of Public
Records of Cardiff proposed to be printed. In consequence of his
further researches in London, the Archivist has added so largely to his
stock of materials, that the above list now requires to be very
considerably extended, and certain of the above specified documents
amplified and amended. This cannot be done until the original notes
have been translated and fair copied; but the accompanying Report on
the recent London work will give the Committee general information
as to the material collected since the list was drawn up.

Resolved That the consideration thereof be adjourned.

Town Clerk reported that he had communicated with Lord Bute,
asking his Lordship if he would lend the Corporation, or permit their
Archivist to inspect, the books, documents and manuscripts relating to
Old Cardiff which he might have in his possession, and allow the
Archivist to take such extracts therefrom as might appear desirable.

Lord Tredegar's Solicitor writes that, if the Corporation will
speedily make the road from Roath Church to Pen-y-lan, including a
bridge over the brook, he will present to the Corporation the land
south of such road, containing about three acres, for the purpose of
being converted into public gardens. Also that Lord Tredegar has
decided to give the Corporation as much land as they require for the
widening of Albany Road, from Roath Church to the north end of
Wellfield Road, near Roath Park.

Vote of thanks to Lord Tredegar for the same.

Sidney Green appointed Hall Porter.

1895 December 9.

Schooner "Philanthropist" having sunk in the fairway of the
entrance to Cardiff Docks, the Trinity Brethren write the Town
Clerk that the responsibility of dealing with the wreck, under the
Wreck Removal Clauses of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, clearly
rests with the Local Authority at Cardiff, and they will be glad to
hear that the Corporation are taking the necessary steps for the
removal of this obstruction to the navigation.

Town Clerk thereupon caused the wreck to be lighted and
buoyed.

Permission granted for buses to run from Sneyd Street,
Cathedral Road, to the Pier Head and back.

Complete system of fire-alarm box telephones is now established
in the Town.

Records Committee, 6 December. Letter dated 3rd inst. was
read from Lord Bute's Secretary, stating that his Lordship was not
aware he had in his possession any documents throwing light upon
the history of Cardiff, unless it were Leases or the like, of a comparatively recent date. His Lordship had, however, written Mr. J.
S. Corbett on the subject.

Resolved that Mr. J. Hobson Matthews be desired to proceed
as quickly as possible with the completion of the Records &c. now
remaining to be dealt with, and referred to in the Minutes of this
Committee of 30 November last.

1895 December 23.

Council appoint members to join a deputation which will wait
on Sir Francis Knollys to convey an invitation to the Prince of
Wales to open the forthcoming Cardiff Exhibition.

The wreck "Philanthropist" has been removed by the Water
Bailiff to the East Mud, and the Corporation has signed a contract
for its final removal.

1896 January 13.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Captain Ralph
Pomeroy, the Bute Company's Dockmaster.

Resolved unanimously That this Council places on record its
unqualified admiration of the Christian character of the Very Rev.
Charles J. Vaughan, D.D., the Dean of Llandaff, who has won the
unanimous respect and esteem of the inhabitants of Cardiff, and
appoints the following gentlemen to wait upon the Dean with a
view of asking him to bequeath to the Town of Cardiff and its
inhabitants, with whom he has been so intimately associated, the
magnificent painting of himself (by Mr. Walter W. Ouless) recently
presented to him, as a memorial of his long connection with the
Borough, and continuous and disinterested labours for the social
and educational welfare of its inhabitants, viz., the Mayor, Alderman
Rees and the Town Clerk.

The Russian gun is to be removed from the Town Hall yard to
Ely Park.

1896 February 10.

His Worship the Mayor referred to the untimely death of His
Royal Highness Prince Henry of Battenberg, and stated that a wreath
had been subscribed for by the Members of the Corporation and sent
to Osborne by a special messenger, "In loving memory of His Royal
Highness." Telegrams of condolence had also been sent to Her
Majesty the Queen and to the Princess Beatrice, and had been
acknowledged.

Resolved That this Council pledges itself to extend a cordial and
hearty welcome to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in the
event of Cardiff being fixed upon as the place where the ceremony
shall take place for the installation of His Royal Highness as
Chancellor of the University of Wales.

Llandaff. January 21st 1896.

My dear Mr. Town Clerk,—It is quite impossible for me to
express adequately my gratitude to the Council for the generous terms
in which their Resolution speaks of my poor services to the inhabitants
of Cardiff. I value more than I can say the esteem and regard of the
great Town which has allowed me to imagine myself all but its
citizen. While I live I shall cherish with affectionate devotion the
memory of its interests and its kindnesses. The particular request
which the Council has condescended to make to me, in the Resolution
forwarded in your letter, shall have (need I assure you) my most
respectful and anxious consideration. The picture to which it refers
was the gift to me, as you are aware, of a large body of clergymen
and intending clergymen, to whose preparation for the Ministry I have
had the privilege of contributing, through a period of five and thirty
years, such assistance, in the way of instruction and counsel, as it was
mine to offer them. It appears to me that the wishes of these
generous donors ought to be consulted in settling the place of its final
vesting. I have reason to believe that with some of them it was a
foregone conclusion that the great College of which I was once a
Fellow, and in which a very large number of them received their
education, would be the home of the picture in the years when it
could be mine no longer. I venture to say this with all explicitness,
though with many apologies; because it will explain to the Council
why I cannot on the instant, as I should wish to do, give a positive
consent to their kind and attractive proposal. I could not possibly
allow the honoured Deputation named in their Resolution to have the
trouble of visiting me to receive what is, of necessity, a somewhat
hesitating answer to the Resolution with which the Council has
entrusted them. And I am scarcely equal to the strain upon health
and spirits which would be involved in my waiting upon them in a
place more convenient to themselves. I have therefore to request you,
my dear Mr. Town Clerk, to be my interpreter to them, and through
them to the Council, as to my grateful feelings on reading the Resolution, and my anxious searchings of heart in considering how to reply
to it.—Faithfully Yours.

C. J. Vaughan.

Council agree to lend to the Committee of the Cardiff Exhibition
the portraits of Lord Bute and Alderman Jacobs.

Committee appointed to make arrangements for the opening of
the Guilford Crescent Baths by the Mayoress of Cardiff, the Right
Hon. Lady Windsor.

The old Reading Room is to be refurnished and fitted up as a
Members' Room.

Llandaff buses are to run alternately through Cathedral Road.

Difficulties have arisen with regard to the repair of Leckwith
Bridge, both the County and the Llandaff Board disclaiming ownership of it.

Committee appointed to negotiate with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the Agents of the Marquess of Bute, for the acquisition
of the Llandaff Fields as an open space for the benefit of the public.
It was afterwards ascertained that the Commissioners were the sole
owners of the land.

Head Gardener is to purchase for the Roath Park lake, from the
Zoological Gardens at Clifton, a pair of upland geese at £5, a pair of
black swans at £4. 10s., and a pair of Chinese geese at £1.

Borough Engineer is to enquire of Lord Tredegar's Agents the
price for which his Lordship will sell to the Corporation 25 acres at
Splot, with 300 yards sea frontage, for the purpose of pleasure
grounds.

Records Committee, 24 February. Town Clerk read correspondence with Dr. W. De Gray Birch, of the British Museum, as to
making copies of the Margam Abbey muniments (by kind permission
of Miss Talbot).

Those of the above muniments which are in Latin are to be
translated by Mr. Matthews from Dr. Birch's copy.

Mr. John Stuart Corbett writes he will see Messrs. Shirley &
Sons as to any documents they may have.

Resolved That the draft Records be now collected, indexed and
bound, and submitted to this Committee.

Resolved That Mr. Hobson Matthews report to this Committee,
on Monday next at noon, (1) as to work already finished, and (2) as
to work now in hand and remaining to be done to complete his work.

Resolved That a communication be sent to various publishers,
informing them of the character of the work undertaken by this
Committee, and enquiring whether they are prepared to publish the
Records, and upon what terms; and that this matter be left in the
hands of the Chairman, Councillor White and Mr. Hobson Matthews.

Records Committee, 2 March. Mr. J. Hobson Matthews presented
his Report on the work done and to be done.

Sub-Committee appointed to enquire into certain allegations with
reference to the state of Mary Ann Street, report that they have made
personal inspection of the houses, and failed to discover that the evils
complained of were due to defective sanitation. The occupiers are
poor, and in some cases dirty in their habits; but many of the houses
were clean and comfortable. No case of sickness was found either
there or in Stanley Street, nor any signs of overcrowding. Stanley
Street is only 12 feet wide, and has 11 houses unoccupied. Fourteen
houses in this street are totally unfit for human occupation. Few, if
any, houses in either street are used for immoral purposes.

Resolved That papers for signature for or against cremation be
left at the Cemetery Office, Burial Board Offices, Town Hall and Free
Libraries.

Mr. T. H. Thomas and others are to go to the Cantref reservoir,
Breconshire, to inspect an old flannel-loom, which it is proposed the
Waterworks Committee shall offer to the Museum. An old chair from
Wenvoe Castle is to be purchased for £2. 10s. 6d. for the Museum.

1896 March 9.

Committee of the whole Council appointed to arrange for the
promised visit of the Prince of Wales to Cardiff after his installation at
Aberystwyth as Chancellor of the Welsh National University.

Meeting of Ratepayers has protested against the proposed expenditure of £750 in a house for the Head Gardener, to be built in Roath
Park. Resolutions against the erection of the house were lost in
Council.

Resolved That the Council are prepared to incur an expense of
not over £100 upon an Inquiry and Report regarding the Charities of
Cardiff, under the Charity Inquiries Expenses Act 1892, in order that
the Inquiry may proceed at once.

Town Hall is to be newly painted, decorated and furnished, on
the occasion of the Prince of Wales' visit. His Royal Highness will
be presented with the Honorary Freedom of the Borough, in a jewelled
casket.

Measures are taken to establish a compulsory Thrift Fund for
Employees of the Corporation.

Records Committee, 7 March. Town Clerk submitted tenders
from various firms for the printing and publication of the Records, and
draft advertisement for intending subscribers thereto. The issuing of
the latter was postponed.

Letter was read from Mr. J. S. Corbett, and the Chairman stated
that he had had an interview with Mr. Corbett, who had promised to
give Mr. Hobson Matthews access to any further records in Lord
Bute's possession which he might find to bear on the history of Cardiff
and neighbourhood, so soon as he had finished certain heavy parliamentary work.

Chairman reported that Oliver H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle,
had stated he had in his possession a number of highly interesting
documents of the 16th century relating to Cardiff, which he would be
very pleased to allow the Archivist to copy if the Corporation so
desired.

Resolved That the best thanks of this Committee be given to
Mr. Jones, and that he be asked when it would be convenient for
Mr. Matthews to inspect the documents.

Records Committee, 14 March. Resolved That the Council be
recommended to cause the Records to be printed at Cardiff, in consequence of the loss of time which it would entail if the same were done
elsewhere.

Records Committee, 21 March. Resolved That Mr. Hobson
Matthews report as to the number and character of the illustrations
&c. proposed to be included in the Volumes of published Records.

28, Great Ormond Street, London.

Sir,—My friend Mr. John Ward, of the Cardiff Museum, informs
me that your Corporation intends to publish the documents relating to
Cardiff which your Archivist has rummaged out of the musty records
of the past. If all Corporations were equally enlightened, there would
be less need for Archæological Societies. Although only one of the
officers of the Cambrian Archæological Association, I think I may
speak also for my colleagues, and say how much we approve of the
good work you are doing for the history of Cardiff, and thus indirectly
for the history of Wales generally. I hope that the result of this
new departure will be to stimulate a taste for archæology and history
in the Principality, and to diffuse it more amongst the masses. There
is no reason, that I can see, why the only people who seem to take
any interest in the past of Wales should be the parsons; and yet they
are at present the mainstay of our Association, and but for them it
could never have existed. I should like to see every Welshman not
only proud of his nationality, but to know why he has reason to be
proud of it.—I remain, Yours very truly.

J. Romilly Allen.

Cardiff. 19th March 1896.

Sir,—I am much obliged by your letter of the 14th instant and
by the very kind manner in which you speak of the work of the
Records Committee of this Corporation. Such praise from a gentleman of your standing in the archæological world comes as a great
encouragement, and should have the result of evoking a larger
measure of popular support for our undertaking. Our Archivist has
already collected a very large quantity of MSS., consisting of copies of
records of various periods, drawn from many different sources, bearing
upon the history of this Town. These it is our intention to print and
publish, if not quite in extenso, at least very amply; and I feel sure
their value to the Welsh historian and antiquary will be speedily
recognised. I am, dear Sir, yours very truly.

Edward Thomas.

J. Romilly Allen, Esq., F.S.A. (Scot.),
Cambr. Arch. Assoc.

P.S. The most valuable records concerning this County are
those of the old Chancery of Glamorgan, now stored in the Rolls
House. It would cost only £300 to make a preliminary examination
of these. At present they are not even sorted. Could not your
Society influence the Ministry to make this very small grant for
commencing so important a work ?

Lord Tredegar declines to let land on Roath Moors for public
gardens, or for other than commercial purposes, and points out that
other parties have rights of pasturage over the land in question.

1896 April 13.

G.W.R. Co. consent to run a dining-car on the train to and from
Paddington and South Wales.

£20,000 to the School Board.

Mr. Rhys Williams, Commissioner, will open an enquiry into the
Charities of the Borough, at the Town Hall on the 20th, 21st and 22nd
instant.

Records Committee, 11 April. The Archivist presented a Report
as to the illustrations &c. to be included in the forthcoming Records
publication.

Letter from Mr. Romilly Allen suggests that the Committee of
the Cambrian Archæological Association should be asked to approach
the Government on the subject of the Glamorgan Chancery records.
"I look forward to seeing Cardiff become the centre of intellectual
activity in Wales, and I hope that Welshmen will be sufficiently
patriotic to sink all local jealousies which may prevent the attainment
of this end."

Resolved That the Committee of the Cambrian Archæological
Association be respectfully requested to urge upon Her Majesty's
Government the desirability of voting a sum of money for preparing
a proper calendar and report on the valuable records of the old
Chancery of Glamorgan now stored in the Rolls Office.

1896 April 20.

Committee appointed with a view to obtaining for the Mayor of
the County Borough of Cardiff for the time being the style, title and
dignity of "The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor," and also with
a view to obtaining for the County Borough the title and dignity of
"City."

Marlborough House, Pall Mall, S.W.

14th April 1896.

Dear Lord Windsor,—I am desired by the Prince of Wales to
inform you that it gives him much pleasure to comply with the request
of the Corporation of Cardiff, that he would consent to become an
Honorary Freeman of the Borough.

Yours very truly.

Francis Knollys.

Sir Francis Knollys further writes that His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, with the Princess of Wales and the Princesses
Victoria and Maud of Wales, will visit Cardiff on Saturday, June
27th, but that circumstances will allow them to remain but a few
hours in the town.

Records Committee, 18th April. Resolved That the Chairman
and Deputy Chairman, and as many members of this Committee as
can make it convenient, be desired to attend the Charities Inquiry.

Letter from Mr. R. A. Wheatley, offering to photograph the
Charters and other documents required for the Records publication,
and to place the negatives free of charge at the disposal of the
Corporation for reproduction.

Resolved That the offer be accepted.

Resolved That the hearty thanks of this Committee be accorded
Mr. R. A. Wheatley for his generous offer.

The Archivist reported that the books and papers left with the
Town Clerk by Mr. O. H. Jones, of Fonmon Castle, contained some
very valuable records, and that he was now copying the same.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews proceed therewith, and that these
records be part of the material from which this Committee ultimately
select the "copy" for the Records publication.

Records Committee, April 30. Town Clerk reported that Mr.
Rhys Williams, Assistant Charity Commissioner for Glamorganshire,
held an Inquiry into the Charities of the County Borough of Cardiff,
at the Town Hall, on the 20th and 22nd April 1896, and investigated
the following Charities:—Jane Herbert, Craddock Wells, Broad Street
Almshouse, Church Street Almshouse (James Gale), Nicholas Wastell,
Denominational Schools, and University College. A number of
witnesses were examined by Mr. Williams, and various Corporation
records. Private persons, in some instances, came forward with
documents bearing on the various charities of the Town. On the
24th instant the Assistant Commissioner went to London, presumably
for the purpose of obtaining further information from the Commissioners to take measures for the immediate disposition of the balance
left from the Cardiff Exhibition of 1870. (fn. 1)

Rev. Charles Chidlow, Secretary, writes that the Committee of
the Cambrian Archæological Association has agreed to petition the
Government for a grant in aid of the publication of Glamorganshire
records, and directed the Senior Secretary to inform this Committee of
the result.

Terms have been arranged with Canon Thompson for the St.
John's Churchyard improvements, but the scheme for the formation of
a public footway through the churchyard has fallen through.

1896 May 11.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Alderman Yorath.

O. H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle, has presented to the
Corporation a document on parchment, dated 4 March 1741. It is
sealed with the Tudor-rose Corporation Seal and signed by ten
members of the Common Council, and records the formal appointment
of Roger Powell junior and Edmund Lloyd, esquires, as Treasurers
to the building-fund of the Town Hall then in course of erection on
the old site in High Street. The building was completed in 1747, and
was used for all Borough and County business until the opening of the
present Town Hall in Saint Mary Street, in 1850. The old structure
of 1747 was used as a store-house until 1860, when it was at last
pulled down.

Moved by Councillor White, J.P. (in pursuance of notice of
motion previously given), seconded by Councillor E. Beavan, J.P.
"That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable and befitting that
its members should, during their tenure of office, wear official robes
and hats; and it is resolved that the same be worn accordingly, and
that a special Committee be appointed with full powers to give effect
to the foregoing resolution."

Town Clerk reported that he had completed the purchase at
£6000 from Mr. J. H. Hallett, of Cardiff, of the freehold premises
known as Johns' Court, situate at the rear of 23 High Street and the
Three Horse Shoes public house, the entrance being from Womanby
Street, (formerly the Old Brewery).

Borough Engineer reported that he had visited the Flat Holm
with Mr. E. W. M. Corbett, and selected a spot for quarrying stone
for hospital purposes, subject to a royalty to be fixed by Sir
W. T. Lewis.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Mr. Daniel Rees,
for 39 years Clerk to the Borough Magistrates.

Parks Committee, accompanied by His Worship the Mayor (the
Right Hon. Lord Windsor) proceeded to the Wild Garden section of
the Roath Park, when the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Tucker,
declared the same open to the public.

1896 June 28.

Mayor reported having appointed Thomas Thomas (late Town
Crier) to be Mace Bearer, vice Jacob Wise deceased; and that he had
appointed Robert Oliver as Town Crier, salary £10 with uniform.

Councillor William John Trounce, Deputy Mayor, is elected
Alderman.

Mr. Daniel Rees, son of the late Clerk to the Borough Magistrates, is appointed to succeed his father in that office.

At a meeting of the Council of the County Borough of Cardiff,
acting also as the Urban Sanitary Authority of the County Borough,
held at the Exhibition Hall, Park Place, Cardiff, on Saturday 27 June
1896, being a Special Meeting: His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, K.G., Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, Her Royal
Highness the Princess Victoria and Her Royal Highness the Princess
Maud attended and were received by the Right Worshipful the Mayor
(the Right Honourable George Windsor-Clive, Lord Windsor, Privy
Councillor, Lord Lieutenant of Glamorganshire) and the Members of
the Corporation.

His Worship the Mayor, addressing His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, K.G., said:—"Will Your Royal Highness permit me
to ask the Recorder to read the Resolution that was passed by the
Corporation ?"

The Prince of Wales having signified his assent,

The Recorder read the following resolution:—"At a Special
Meeting of the Council of the County Borough of Cardiff, held at the
Town Hall, Cardiff, on Monday the 20th day of April 1896, present
the Deputy Mayor (Alderman David Jones, J.P.) in the chair, and a
full Council; it was moved by Alderman David Jones, J.P., and
Alderman Jacobs, J.P., and resolved unanimously: 'That His Royal
Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, Knight of the Garter, being
a person of distinction within the meaning of the Honorary Freedom of
Boroughs Act 1885, be, in accordance with the provisions of the said
Act, admitted an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Cardiff; and
that such honorary freedom be publicly presented to His Royal
Highness during his visit to Cardiff.' "

The Recorder then retired, and the Town Clerk administered the
following Oaths to His Royal Highness:—"You shall swear to be
true to our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the Lord of this Town
and Borough; you shall be obedient to the Mayor of the said
Borough for the time being, and obey his warrants, precepts and
commands; you shall be civil and obedient to the Aldermen of the
same; and also you shall, as much as in your power lies, contribute
and do every act and thing for the good government and safety of the
Borough and inhabitants thereof, So help you God."

His Royal Highness signed the Honorary Freemen's Roll, the
Admission being witnessed by the Mayor and Town Clerk.

His Worship the Mayor presented the scrip of Admission,
enclosed in a gold casket, to His Royal Highness, who was graciously
pleased to receive the same.

The Mayor then addressed His Royal Highness as follows:—
"May it please Your Royal Highness: I have the honour and privilege
as Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation and inhabitants of Cardiff, to
give you a most respectful but at the same time a most cordial
welcome to this ancient and loyal Borough. We bear in mind that it
is the first visit which Your Royal Highness has ever paid to Cardiff.
It is therefore a red-letter day in the history of the Town; and the
interest and importance of the occasion are greatly enhanced by the fact
that you are accompanied by Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales and Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Victoria and Maud,
to whom also we desire to offer a most respectful and hearty welcome.
Your Royal Highness has been pleased to permit us to mark this
occasion by inscribing your illustrious name upon the roll of the
Honorary Freemen of the Borough. I assure Your Royal Highness
that Cardiff will consider this act of condescension as a signal mark of
your favour to the largest and most important town in Wales, the
enterprise of which may to some extent be measured by the Exhibition
Buildings in which we are now assembled and which the Queen has
been graciously pleased to patronise. I most respectfully request
Your Royal Highness to do us the honour of accepting this casket,
which contains the scrip recording your enrolment as an Honorary
Freeman of the Borough; and with it I ask Your Royal Highness to
accept our grateful and humble thanks for the honour that you have
this day conferred upon the County Borough of Cardiff."

The Prince replied as follows:—

"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, I beg to thank you and the County
Council of Cardiff for conferring upon me the honorary freedom of
this ancient Borough, which is so conspicuous for its constantly
progressive increase and importance. It is a distinction of which I
am sure I feel proud; for Cardiff, with its population of over 160,000,
is not only the chief town of Wales, but the principal port in the
United Kingdom. Indeed, according to its registered tonnage of
6,500,510 tons, it is the second port in the world, New York coming
first. Its growing importance and its increase of population have
been remarkable of late years, and I have no doubt it will continue its
course of rapid progress. I am glad to find, by the Roll I have just
signed, that I have as fellow Freemen such distinguished men as Mr.
Gladstone and Lord Roberts. The Princess of Wales and I cannot
but remember with mournful pleasure that our dear son was received
here with the utmost cordiality, and was presented with the honorary
freedom of this Borough. The reception which has been accorded to
the Princess of Wales, my daughters and myself is very gratifying to
us; and we shall always remember with much satisfaction our visit to
this loyal town."

Their Royal Highnesses afterwards proceeded to the new Free
Library building, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
declared the same open to the public.

General Purposes Committee. Proposed by Councillor White,
seconded by Councillor Gerhold: That badges be worn by the
Members of the Corporation upon public occasions.

Proposed by Councillor David, seconded by Councillor E.
Beavan: That suitable gowns be worn by Members of the Corporation upon public occasions.

Both the amendment and the original motion, on being put to the
meeting, were lost.

Vote of thanks to Mr. James Howell for his generosity in undertaking to decorate the Exhibition Hall free of charge, on the occasion
of the admission of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews prepare a Prospectus of the
Records, to take the form of a double leaflet.

Resolved That a copy of Mr. Corbett's letter of 3rd instant be
sent to the Chairman, and that he be desired to see Mr. Corbett with
reference to the supposed missing Minute Book.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews be directed to prepare a synopsis
of the whole of the "copy" which in his opinion should form the
three volumes of Records, for consideration by this Committee.

Museum Committee. Resolved That, inasmuch as Counsel has
advised that under the Museums and Gymnasiums Act 1891 the
Corporation is [not] authorised to elect on this Committee any
gentlemen not being members of the Corporation, this Committee
desires that the above Act shall be so amended as to enable the
Corporation to elect on the Committee such persons as are, by their
knowledge of natural history, art and other subjects, specially qualified for museum work.

1896 July 13.

Resolved unanimously That this Council most sincerely tenders
its respectful sympathy to the Mayor and Mayoress (The Right
Honourable Lord and Lady Windsor) in the bereavement they have
sustained by the death of the Right Honourable Sir Augustus
Berkeley Paget, K.C.B.

O. H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle, presents to the Corporation
an old Minute Book of the Street Commissioners of Cardiff.

Mr. George Thomas, of Ely Farm, is retained permanently to act
as Valuer to the Corporation.

Archivist submitted a synopsis of the "copy" which, in his
opinion, should form the three volumes of Records, and same was
adopted.

Resolved That the Manager of Cardiff Market be directed not to
let standings on the Hayes to quacks or cheap-jacks, but only to
vendors of fruit, fish and vegetables, who will conduct their business
quietly.

Resolved That the Curator have printed and exhibited in the
Museum suitable notices in English and Welsh, prohibiting loud
talking, whistling, spitting, and the like.

1896 August 10.

Hewell Grange, Redditch.

July 16th, 1896.

Dear Mr. Town Clerk,—Lady Windsor wishes to join with me
in thanking most sincerely our kind friends, the members of the
Corporation of Cardiff, for the resolution of sympathy unanimously
passed on Monday last. We have lately rejoiced together over our
successes in Cardiff, and now we are much touched in knowing that
our friends share our own personal sorrow.—I am, dear Mr. Town
Clerk,

Yours very faithfully.

Windsor.

Resolved unanimously That the cordial and sincere thanks of this
Council be presented to the Mayor of Cardiff (The Right Honourable
Lord Windsor) and the Mayoress of Cardiff (The Right Honourable
Lady Windsor) for the zeal and ability with which they performed the
important functions in connection with the visit of Their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princesses
Victoria and Maud to Cardiff on the 27th June last, and for the
dignity with which they sustained the best traditions of the
Metropolis of Wales.

Resolved unanimously That the hearty thanks of this Council
be accorded the Deputy Mayor (Alderman D. Jones, J.P.), the
Town Clerk (Mr. Joseph Larke Wheatley), Colonel Albert Goldsmid,
and the Head Constable (Mr. William McKenzie), for the valuable
assistance rendered on the above occasion, and for the excellent
manner in which all the arrangements were carried out.

Deputation from the Executive Council of the Cardiff Exhibition
attended and asked the co-operation of the Council in celebrating in
an appropriate manner the 23rd September next, on which day the
Queen's reign will have lasted longer than that of any other Monarch
of this Kingdom.

Committee appointed accordingly.

Queen's Celebration Committee, August 13. Deputy Mayor
stated the following message appeared in the London papers on the
previous day:—

"The Secretary of State for the Home Department is commanded
by the Queen to intimate that, while she is much gratified to observe
such general expressions of loyalty and affection towards her in regard
to the fact that she will shortly have reigned for a longer period than
any other British Sovereign, it is Her Majesty's wish that, should she
be spared to rule over her beloved people for such a period, any
recognition or celebration of that event should be reserved until she
has completed a reign of sixty years."

1896 September 14.

Sandringham, Norfolk.
August 14th, 1896.

Dear Lord Windsor,—Princess Charles is enchanted with the
diamond brooch, and has desired me to write and thank you, and to
ask you to convey her best thanks to the members and officers of
the Corporation of Cardiff, for this handsome and charming wedding
present.

I remain yours very truly.

S. W. Proger.

Letter from Mr. J. R. Cobb suggesting the Corporation should
take steps to facilitate a visit of Lord Nelson's flag-ship "Foudroyant"
to Cardiff.

Sub-Committee appointed to secure the location at Cardiff of the
Offices of the National University of Wales. Also to secure the
location here of the Glamorgan County Council Offices.

A motion standing in the name of Councillor Good, in favour of
the erection of a statue of Oliver Cromwell in the vestibule of the
Town Hall, was withdrawn by leave.

Councillor Buist's motion, in favour of approaching Parliament on
the subject of the taxation of ground-rents, fell to the ground in the
absence of sufficient members to form a quorum.

Records Committee, September 21. An extract from the proceedings of the Council was read as to the submission of documents
to Committees.

Mr. Herbert M. Thompson writes from Whitley Batch, Llandaff,
that he will (on behalf of himself, Mr. Charles Thompson, of Penhill
Close, and another) guarantee £5,000 towards the purchase of Llandaff
Fields by the Corporation for an open space. He hopes, however,
"that the fields will be kept as fields, and that no attempt will be
made to transform them into a park. Lavish expenditure would
probably do little or nothing to improve the natural beauty they at
present possess."

Sir William T. Lewis writes that to buy up the New Street
hoarding will cost the Corporation £1,550.

Resolved That consideration thereof be deferred until other
matters now pending between Lord Bute and the Corporation are
discussed with Sir W. T. Lewis.

David Morgan Johns is appointed Shorthand and Engrossing
Clerk in the Town Clerk's Department.

At the desire of Lord Bute, and at his expense, the loving-cup
is to have five of the figures upon it re-enamelled.

1896 October 26.

Miss Margaret L. Hay is appointed Matron of the Cardiff
Sanatorium; salary £60, with board, lodging and uniform.

Mr. Neville Applebee is appointed Electrical Engineer to the
Corporation.

Canon Thompson agrees to accept £500 for the proposed public
footpath through Saint John's Churchyard.

Borough Engineer reported that on 25 September a severe storm
visited the Town, doing considerable damage and blowing down one
of the elms in Newport Road. On 7th and 8th instant, owing to high
tides and high south-west winds, the tide rose to an abnormal height,
doing considerable damage to various places in the Bristol Channel.
A small portion of the Cardiff District, at Moorland Gardens, Roath,
and Windsor Esplanade, Docks, was flooded; but, owing to works
recently carried out, Grangetown escaped a similar catastrophe to that
which occurred there in October 1883.

Archivist reported he had written the Introduction to the
Records, compiled an exhaustive Table of Contents for Volume I.,
and written the explanatory matter relating to the Charters.

Penarth Urban District Council, Llandaff Parish Council and
Llanishen Parish Council are resolved to oppose their absorption
into the Borough of Cardiff.

William Percy Harding, Plymouth, is appointed Assistant Conveyancing Clerk in the Town Clerk's Department. He is to reside
within the Borough. (Mr. Herbert Somerset, Pontypridd, was an
unsuccessful candidate for this appointment.)

Mr. W. H. Andrew resigns his position as Deputy Town Clerk,
on receiving the appointment of Town Clerk of York.

Mr. William John Board is appointed Deputy Town Clerk. He
is to reside within the Borough.

Special Committee appointed to consider the weiring of the Taff.

Footnotes

1. For some reason, unknown to me, this Inquiry was never completed.—Ed.